Message sheet



Aug, 116. w. P. REND MESSAGE SHEET Filed Sept. 1, 1943 Patented Aug. c,1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,405,327 lVIESSAGE SHEET William P.Rend, Chicago; 111. Application September 1, 1943, Serial No. 500,784

My invention relates to message sheets adapted to be folded and securedtogether for mailing.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of an improvedmessage sheet adapted to be folded to form an envelope.

A further object is the provision of such a mes sage sheet of verysimple design adapted to be readily folded to envelope form and asreadily unsealed without the necessity of extensive instructions and insuch a way that even the person unacquainted therewith is not apt tomake a mistake.

A further object is the provision of such a message sheet adapted to beprovided in the form of single sheets or capable of being clippedtogether in the form of a tablet or part of a bound series of forms suchas of an order blank, invoice or the like.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from aconsideration of the following detailed description taken with theaccompanying drawing Wherein- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a form comprisinga preferred embodiment of my invention;

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 show successive steps in the folding of the form toproduce an envelope;

Fig. 5 shows the completed envelope with provision for address andstamp;

' 3 Claims. (01. 22992.1)

Fig. 6 shows the manner of opening the form Preferably, it is gummed forquick sealing in a manner to be described.

Sides of the message sheet are foldable along broken lines I1 and 18 inthe manner shown in Fig. 2 as the first step in the folding of the form,the portion of the top and bottom extensions being folded in with theside portions of the rectangular message sheet. The entire form is thenfolded along the broken line l9 to the position shown in Fig. 3, thusenclosing the foldedover portions resulting from the first folding tothe position shown in Fig. 2. In this position,

the lines of perforations l4 and I6 are aligned with each other. Theclosure flap [3 is then folded over to the position shown in Fig. 4 andsealed to complete the envelope.

The form is preferably printed with instructions and other indicia tofacilitate folding to proper final finished envelope position.Indicative of the instructions are those appearing on the top and bottomextensions, it being noted that all of the instructions with respect tofolding appear on the extensions. As indicated in Figs. 3 and 4,instructions with respect to opening appear on the main message sheetbut, if desired, they may also appear upon the back of flap I3.

As to the folding in of the sides, it will be noted that in line withthe broken lines I! and It, at top and bottom, there are printed linesindicating the line where the fold is preferab y a Fig. 2 indicates thatthe form is slightly scored, as if by folding along the broken lines Hand [8. The form may be so finished when produced, if desired, but,generally speaking, it is adequate merely to indicate the point wherethe fold occurs by the use of printed lines on the to and bottomextensions, leaving the entire message sheet itself free for suchmessage as one will wish it to contain. The same is true of the linebetween the closure flap I3 and the top extension V I2, preferably theline separating the closure flap l3 and the top extension I2 is notperforated; it is, at most, scored to facilitate folding.

The message sheet If} is rectangular and may be standard letter size, ifdesired. Preferably, the fold, such as along the broken lines [7 and i8,is such as to bring the side edges practically in contact with eachother as illustrated in Fig. 2. There may, of course, be an overlappingor some space left between the edges but this is not so desirable anddoes not result in the production of a fiat but sturdy and strongenvelope. The closure flap l3 may be relatively narrow (that is, lookingat the direction transversely of the form itself) but preferably has itsends coinciding with the lines such as I! and I8 along which the form isinitially folded so that when folded over as in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, theclosure will seal the entire end of the closed form and there will be nopoint at which a single unfolded edge of the form will be exposed. Thismeans when the edges are brought together as in Fig. 2 that the closureflap I3 is not longer than half the width of the letter sheet butpreferably at least almost half of such width.

The message form of my invention is simple and lends itself to the useof all modern systems for preparing, handling, stamping, addressing, andotherwise treating letters, invoices; forms, envelopes and the like.When I refer to mes-

